Fila sets plans for creative shootout

Published on March 27, 1998.

Fila USA, Hunt Valley, Md., without an agency after Arnell Group Brand Consulting resigned to take on Tommy Hilfiger USA, will free-lance two upcoming ad pushes starring National Basketball Association star Chris Webber and Women's National Basketball Association star Nikki McCray. Then it will hold a creative competition for its November launch of The Hill V, a shoe endorsed by NBA star Grant Hill. Fila wants the winning agency to become its new agency of record. The new agency would then be entrusted with a key marketing initiative: the launch next February of a new athletic performance brand, its positioning tied to its 2/A footwear technology. Fila's account is estimated at $15 million. It's currently No. 4 in the athletic footwear industry.